Archive for U.S.

Racism continues to be a society issue in the United States. It not only occurs in our daily life, it is continually reported on in the news headlines. American history is not perfect, nor is the current society in which we live today. Slavery was abolished during the Civil War. Laws were passed allowing women to vote. The Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s supposedly ended segregation. Why is racial discrimination still a problem today?

When someone holds on to the faults of the past and keeps it in the present, it does not end the problem; it contributes to it and passes that attitude on to future generations. We should be taking measures to end it, not feed it and let it grow. I will agree that racism occurs today and is still the attitude of many, but I also think it’s unacceptable and damaging to society. Segregation is also wrong and is occurring today.

America is considered the Melting Pot of the world. You can find anyone from any country, heritage or otherwise, throughout the world. America is a place where anything is possible, which is why so many are trying to come here. Why is being just an American not enough? Why do some Americans feel the need to separate themselves into smaller groups of Americans, the dash-Americans? Doesn’t this contribute to racism and segregation? I think it does. I do embrace my heritage, but which do I choose my heritage or my nationality? In my family, we have over ten different heritages and ethnic backgrounds (I have five), but we can all agree on one thing, we are all just Americans. I think if we are proud of our country and need to see an end to racism, we all need to embrace what our country stands for and be just Americans.

Over the past 50 years, we have seen a significant decline in the morality of American society. We can consistently see the Judeo-Christian morals and values, which this country was founded, fall to the wayside and attacked by the minority, the Godless.

Over the last year, there have been multiple headlines about religious words in graduation speeches, prayers posted in schools, Nativity scenes, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the list continues. The common phrase for the defense of these actions is, “It’s against my Constitutional Rights.” As Americans, we have the right to free speech, free religion, and free press. In any of these examples, which one prevents you from speaking, worshiping, or writing? The answer is none. If you don’t like what is being said, ignore it. If you don’t like something on the wall or a display, walk past it without giving a second thought. And, if you don’t want to say God during the Pledge of Allegiance, then don’t, besides, it is for our country. Additional reasoning for the questioning of religion is, “It violates the separation of Church and State.” First of all, obviously they have not read the correspondence between Thomas Jefferson and the Danbury Baptists. Secondly, our laws and Constitution mention nothing of the separation of Church and State. It seems to me, these disgruntled citizens need to educate themselves in American History instead of assuming they know about it.

It will be very hard to keep a nation with strong morals and values when the core of our country is being contradicted by our leadership. President Obama said in a speech a few years ago, “We do not consider ourselves as a Christian nation.” I beg to differ. Approximately 75-80 percent of Americans are Christian, while approximately 13 percent is Atheist or Agnostic. It is obvious we are still a Christian nation. I only ask to heed warning from the greatest president of American history, George Washington.

“And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion…Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”-George Washington.